Canucks Replay: Point streak ends with 4-2 loss to Ducks

File: Vancouver Canucks' goalie Ryan Miller is struck by the puck during the overtime period of a pre-season NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday October 2, 2016.DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Vancouver Canucks are no longer undefeated. On Saturday night, the comeback kings lost to the regular Kings in a shootout, falling to 4-0-1.

It’s hard to be too upset. It was bound to happen sooner or later, and frankly, it could have been a lot worse. When the Canucks fell behind 3-0, it sure looked like it was going to be a lot worse. But then they put together yet another three-goal comeback, tying things up inside the final minute — the evening’s best thing — and matching the number of points they earned last season when trailing after two periods. I remind you that the season is five games old.

Plus a shootout loss is hardly a loss. It’s half a loss, and hardly that, since we all know it’s basically a coin toss, and there’s no shame in losing a coin toss. (Unless maybe Javier Bardem is the guy tossing the coin. Then things could get uglier than his bowl cut.) Admittedly, we can’t say the Canucks are perfect anymore, so it’s not entirely painless, but we can still say they’re “unbeaten in regulation”, which is almost as good. They’re close to perfect. And while you can’t say they’re on a win streak anymore, you can still say they’re on a point streak. This is the sort of spin enabled by the NHL’s sweet, sweet loser point.

So. Point streak. Can the Canucks keep their point streak alive tonight in Anaheim? It’ll be tough. Don’t let their early 1-3-1 record or head coach fool you: Anaheim is a good team, and the Canucks tend to struggle against them, although Vancouver did manage to win last year’s season series.

The Ducks have a lot working in their favour tonight, though. Ryan Miller draws in for Jacob Markstrom, and he could be rusty after missing four straight games with tightness in his core. Anaheim is playing on two days’ rest too, and they’re likely to get even more energy from the Honda Center crowd, as tonight is their home opener. The Canucks, meanwhile, are coming into this one tired: they looked exhausted last night, and with such a quick turnaround — not even 24 hours — it’s unlikely they’ll be any fresher for this road game. Plus it’s pretty tough to get a good night’s sleep in Los Angeles. You spend the whole night tossing and turning, wondering if you should give up on your dreams of being the next Ryan Gosling and just go back to school.

Although right now, the Canucks may as well be Ryan Gosling, since they’re close to perfect. This is Canucks Live.

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